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Rode: Emma Jones making a name for herself

Emma Holmes wouldn’t mind following in her brother’s footsteps.
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Emma Holmes wouldn’t mind following in her brother’s footsteps.

Ben Holmes starred for the Lindsay Thurber Raiders boys’ volleyball team before joining the RDC Kings last season.

Emma is one of the premier players on the Raiders girls’ team and playing for the RDC Queens next season is a strong possibility.

Although Queens head coach Chris Wandler feels he has an excellent chance to get the five-foot-10 right side, Holmes said she’s not completely sure where she’ll end up, although RDC is high on her list.

“RDC would be good and it would be fun playing there while my brother is still there … and, of course, playing at home,” said the 17-year-old.

But first Emma and her LTCHS teammates are concentrating on the provincial 4A championships this weekend in Medicine Hat. Then there’s club volleyball and possibly beach volleyball.

Holmes is one of the top beach volleyball players in the province, playing last season for Team Alberta, finishing in the top 15 at the national U18 championships.

She got involved in the sport in Grade 6 at Central Middle School, playing with its JV program. The following season, she was on its senior team and progressed from there.

She played indoor and beach in Grade 9 at LTCHS, and joined the LTCHS senior team in Grade 10.

While she indicated she likes the indoor game a bit more than beach, her time playing in the sand outdoors has helped develop her game.

“It helps my defensive game for sure as there’s only two on the court so have to be quick and read the play. You have to be ready for anything to happen.”

The Raiders are one of the top defensive teams in the province. The fact they have a number of players, who shine in the beach game, aides their quickness and agility.

“It helps for sure,” said Holmes, who believes the beach game has helped the offensive side of her game as well.

“You have to be able to score with a number of different shots,” she said.

Holmes not only helps the Raiders with her defence and ability to score, but blocks well and can play a number of different positions.

“I started in Grade 10 as a setter, played some left side in club and now right side,” she said. “I can play a lot of positions if they need me to.”

Emma prefers to play the right side, rather than setter and indicated if she attends RDC she would likely be used as an outside hitter.

But Holmes said she’ll continue to work on all aspects of her game.

“I’ll work on serve receive and passing … setting as well. Work on it all as it will make me a better player overall,” she said.

The Raiders went into the provincials, which opened Thursday, ranked second, back of Western Canada. They’ve defeated third ranked Jasper Place, and won the prestigious TVT Edmonton tournament.